Foldable wing tip mechanisms are known for decades and allow to reduce the necessary storage volume for military aircraft operated on aircraft carriers. The application for commercial aircraft was developed in the 1990s, but has never been used in service.
For fulfilling airworthiness requirements, visual inspections or tests of system items after a defined number of flight cycles or flight hours are required. In some cases in situ inspections or tests are not directly possible and it may be required to remove the equipment from the aircraft. The inspections or tests are then carried out off the aircraft on a workbench. Visual inspections or tests that have to be carried out in situ or off the aircraft are costly, as they restrict the operational flexibility of the aircraft and require maintenance.
WO 2011144298 A1 shows a wing with a retractable wing end piece, wherein a mechanical lever system is used for executing a pivoting motion of a wing end piece comprising both a rotational component and a translational component. The lever kinematics comprises two lever arrangements, for which respective two hinged devices are provided.